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Christie Hill (left) is a mother of two beautiful children, and has been a certified Group Fitness Instructor since 1997. Her journey towards yoga, pilates, and fitness dance began with her interest in Belly Dancing over 13 years ago. Her original purpose in joining such a class, was to dance for her soon to be husband, Doug Hill. After attending a couple of Belly Dance classes with Donna Whitley, she knew she was hooked on this form of dance. Always striving to learn more, she began traveling to Raleigh for private instruction and has attended workshops with Aisha Ali, Sadie, Gina of Georgia, Suhaila Salimpour, Rachel Brice, Moria Chappell, Yasmine, and Lisa Zahiya. In addition to her studies of the dance, she began to learn more and more about middle eastern culture through some of her close friends from Egypt, Palestine, and Iran.
Finding such joy in movement, prompted Christie to join a gym and find more opportunities to be connected with movement and exercise. Soon after attending aerobics classes, she became a Group Fitness Instructor and began teaching just about everything she could. Christie quickly found her passion in helping others, and learning more and more about movement and fitness. Over the next several years, she contined to train in step aerobics, toning classes, floor aerobics, water aerobics, cycling, prenatal, fitness dance, and more. In addition she enjoyed weight training on her own.
The shift in her methods of exercise came during her second pregnancy in 2002. While housecleaning, she fell to floor with back pain. After she was literally carried to a chiropractor, she realized she was going to have to find some other way to stay in shape. Her journey to back strength was slow, but started with continued chiropractic care, massage, and yoga. Around that time, Christie continued to Belly Dance, just for fun, and started to learn more about Pilates, through her friend, Michelle Hunt.
At that time, she didn't feel strong enough to pursue Pilates, so when she and Michelle attended a fitness convention together in Dallas, she decided to become a certified Yoga Instructor. Through much care, she slowly became more flexible and began to feel strong enough to begin Pilates, so the next year, when she and Michelle went to a convention in Atlanta, she became certified in Pilates.
Amazed by the results and strength she has gained, Christie was able to get back into many activities she had always loved. With all of her background and training in fitness, she began to see the connection in dance, yoga, and pilates, and has found whole wellness through combining her loves. In 2007, she completed an additional comprehensive mat certification program, and a 208 hour Reformer certification program through the Pilates Certification Center, as well as a Belly Dance Teacher Certification program through Qadria in Raleigh, NC. In 2009, She trained with Lolita (one of the "elders" of Pilates), and received a level one certification from Suhaila Salimpour's School of Dance.
Christie's greatest joy in life is her two children, and supportive husband who are all excited to see her fulfill a dream, and share all of her passions under one roof at The Absolute Studio.